North Carolina Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis talked about the pressure he’s facing ahead of his fifth season in front of the team. Davis joined the program ahead of the 2021-22 season, which turned out to be his best so far.
He led the team to a 29-10 record and a national championship game appearance that was decided in the final seconds by the Kansas Jayhawks. Ever since that, UNC has missed the NCAA tournament once and hasn’t been able to return to the Final Four.
Davis is thought to be on the hot seat entering this season, especially considering how other iconic programs have evolved and competed in recent years, while the Tar Heels appeared to be one step behind them in terms of recruiting and performance.
Hubert Davis talks about the pressure he faces at North Carolina
Talking with Michael Koh of Chapelboro.com, Davis shared his thoughts on the pressure he carries ahead of the new season, stating that he’s aware of what his team is expected to achieve every year.
Hubert Davis
“I feel the same way that I’ve felt the last four years. There is a pressure and expectation for us to be good this year, but that pressure and that expectation for us to be good is no different than any other year,” he said. “The standard is at the highest here. I always talk to the guys [about], ‘The standard is the standard, and there’s an expectation every year for us to reach that standard.’ I actually had a conversation with [Senior Associate Athletic Director Steve Kirschner]. There’s a pressure and expectation to be good this year, but also, in some sense, to keep it there.”
The Tar Heels remain one of the best programs in college basketball history, but fans want new glories, and he’s going to be on the hot seat if he doesn’t get the team going early.
